Gerhard Berger's nephew is set to take a big leap forward in his ambitions to race in F1. 22-year-old Lucas Auer, whose mother is F1 legend Berger's sister Claudia, is a title contender in the German touring car series DTM this year, driving a Mercedes. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has said Auer has "everything you need" for a career in F1. And now, Germany's Auto Bild reports that Auer will make his F1 debut driving a Mercedes-powered Force India at the young driver test following the Hungarian grand prix. Auer drives a pink-liveried Mercedes car in DTM, as it shares a main sponsor - Austrian water company BWT - with Force India.
JULY 3, 2017 Berger confirms Force India test for nephew It is now almost certain that Gerhard Berger's nephew will shortly make his F1 test debut. Widespread reports say DTM frontrunner Lucas Auer will drive the Force India at the post-Hungarian GP young driver's test. "As it turns out, he will get a formula one test in the Force India in the young driver test," Berger, who is the DTM series boss, told Bild newspaper. The former Ferrari and McLaren driver said that at 22 years old, Auer is more than ready for the step into F1. "I think two years ago, he would have been burned, but now he deserves his chance. Whether he uses it is another matter," Berger told Kurier newspaper. However, Auer said at the DTM race at the Norising at the weekend: "Nothing has been confirmed yet. "I am in touch with a few teams," Speed Week quotes him as saying. Auer drives in DTM for Mercedes and shares a sponsor (BWT) with Force India, but Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is also not quite ready to confirm the forthcoming test. "You have to be cautious in formula one, but it looks good for Luggi," he said.
WOW have perceptions of age in motor racing changed! To answer your question 22 is not nearly too old.
Max17.Stroll 18,Vettel 19,Alonso 19,Ocon 19,Kyvat 19,Sainz 20,Button 20, Massa 20,Raikkonen 21,Perez 21, Hamilton 22,Ricciardo 22, The newer ones coming in now are towards the younger end i think.
Your statistics are duly noted and very difficult to argue with. That said I think there is a trend towards younger and younger drivers for little reason other than it is the fashion of the moment. This is awful for really talented drivers in their early/mid twenties who are totally overlooked for no reason other that their age is not the current flavor. Such is the reality of current motor racing but from a purely performance perspective there is no reason a driver cannot enter F1 in their mid to late 20's and shine. Unfortunately that is not likely to happen any time soon.
I think it's great that he is 22. He has so much more experience and will have a much better developed sense of race craft. A bit of maturity is not a bad thing. Younger doesn't equal better. Just look at Stroll. Setting aside his speed issues, he has terrible race craft. That's not a surprise as he just hasn't had the chance to develop the skills. F1 shouldnt be a nursery for novices, it should be a finishing school for the best all rounders.
Very well said. Unfortunately now F1 drivers are so much more specialists than they were 20 years ago. Back then a team would have 150 people so the driver was a much more important part of the equation and maturity counted for a lot. Now the driver is very much plug and play as there are so many engineers and technicians working on the cars that the drivers feedback and experience counts for much less. Everything is simulated and 10 heads are doing the job that one used to. I suppose this is the price of progress and what happens when more and more money is there to be spent.
SEPTEMBER 20, 2017 Auer future unchanged after Force India decisions Lucas Auer says Force India deciding to keep the same drivers for 2018 doesn't affect his own motor racing future. Earlier, the Austrian - whose uncle is the F1 legend Gerhard Berger - tested for the Silverstone based team thanks to his pink-coloured sponsor BWT. Force India's driver lineup was up in the air for 2018 as Sergio Perez was linked with Renault and Williams, and the Mexican has been squabbling with his teammate Esteban Ocon. But Perez has now re-signed for 2018, and Frenchman Ocon subsequently announced on Twitter that he is also staying at Force India next year. Asked how that will affect his own plans, Auer told Servus TV: "Not much. "The test was a huge trust in me and I am still in contact, but my focus is on the DTM." Auer's uncle Berger, who is also the DTM series chief, agreed: "Luki still has chances. Force India has an eye on him. "You can already see that because he was invited to the test without my help -- he really worked it out for himself," the former Ferrari and McLaren driver added. "He has a very good chance of winning the DTM (title)," Berger said. "And with his test, he has shown that coming into formula one is absolutely realistic."
NOVEMBER 8, 2017 Berger's nephew to secure F1 reserve role Gerhard Berger's nephew looks set to secure a regular job in formula one. Earlier, top Mercedes-powered DTM driver Lucas Auer tested for the Force India team, as the two parties share a sponsor in the form of pink-coloured Austrian water company BWT. And now, Auto Bild reports that 23-year-old Auer - whose mother is F1 legend Gerhard Berger's sister - will be a Force India reserve driver next year. The same publication said Auer will share that role with Mercedes junior and new GP3 champion George Russell, whose parents are reportedly close to Mercedes strategist James Vowles. Auto Bild also claims Sauber is planning to announce some driver news in Brazil, where Charles Leclerc will drive in Friday practice. Monaco born Ferrari junior and GP2 champion Leclerc is tipped to race for the Swiss team next year alongside Marcus Ericsson, which means Pascal Wehrlein is being ousted. German Wehrlein is still in the running at Williams, where a vacancy has definitely opened up following Felipe Massa's retirement announcement. "I have no deadline," Wehrlein insists. "It was always quite late the last two years too, so I just hope we can find something and sign a contract for next year and I would be happy."
I can't wait to see leclerc once he's acclimatised. He is the real deal, I think once he has some races under his belt in f1, as opposed to a few test sessions, the guy will grow rapidly into a potential winner... hopefully he won't be allowed to run before he can walk, and learns the trade in a structured manner so that he doesn't burn out like some of the great prospects have done.
I also expect big things for Leclerc...i think ever since jean i didn't have such great expectations on a young driver..hope he make sit, looks like a great kid...
